Bachata Academy @ DREAM

The World's First Bachata School

In partnership with The DREAM Project, iASO Records has established an academy for traditional music in Cabarete, The Dominican Republic. Our program is the first in the world to teach bachata. A music of the barrios, bachata has become an important Dominican cultural export. The iASO Bachata Academy's mission is to foster high standards of musical excellence and to train new generations of bachateros and bachateras.

Our Approach is Unique

The iASO Bachata Academy engages students with a curriculum that builds on techniques that have been employed in the transmission of Dominican music for generations. Our focus is on ear learning and performance in multi-part, multi-instrument groups. With our program's emphasis on cooperative learning, we are building a musical community whose whole is even greater than its parts.

Our Students

The Bachata Academy has more than 40 students who each receive up to 12 hours a week of instruction in guitar, percussion, and voice. Our students range in age from 7 to 16. Each is given an instrument, which he or she can practice on at school and at home. As students advance, they form bands. Our student bands are performing locally and we hope that one day they will tour internationally.

Our Faculty

The iASO Bachata Academy has some of the best talent in the local and international music scene on its faculty. With decades of experience and impressive track-records, our teachers help our students to perfect their musicianship, so that one day they can be bachateros and bachateras in their own right. To learn more about them, please visit our faculty profile page.

Tax Deductible - Registered Public Charity

The iASO Bachata Academy is located on the DREAM Project’s Cabarete campus. The DREAM Projects is a US 501c3, and counts Pulitzer author Junot Díaz, and NY Senator Adriano Espaillat among its board of advisers.

Hi!
I am Spanish Citizen and I have had the opportunity to personally see these kids several times because i spend sevaral weeks a year in Cabarete, and does a really incredible job.!! I would like to collaborate with the Project to make it possible for them to come to Madrid, perhaps requesting it before the Dominican Embassy in Madrid , or other agencies. I love them!
I hear Ideas, and my time its at your disposal as a publcist of your School of Bachata.

So one way of funding the students would be to offer Bachata training holidays for Adults. Some of the fees you charge the adults would go to funding the childrens Academy. For example if you ran a 1 week course with 10 adults that could contribute to the kids.